Private Vintergard Vinter? I hardly know her (yet)!

[Aroda]

Aroda listens carefully, hand to her chin as she listens to the cat person's tail- tale, nodding intermittently to show her full focus on the stuff that really matters.

"Supportive ships, huh? So there was more than one...if there were smaller ones, I wonder if we could find any of that tech and reverse engineer it...it'd be a lot easier than the huge massive one..."

She murmurs thoughtfully, eyes closed as she ponders over some new research targets. Then, her eyes snap back open,

"Wait, any moment? Did you say any moment?"

The bandits were coming back? Ah man, that does make sense, why else would they stick this cat in a barrel and just leave...

"Okay, so we can finish the chat in a minute - for right now, should we like, get out of here?"

She asks between the other two in the room, while she moves toward the edge of said room to check outside through one of the holes in the wall, hoping to scan around outside and see if she spots any baddies...

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno frowned slightly listening to the story. He had never heard of other ships falling along with the main one, but it would make sense that a ship as big as that would have other smaller ones, just like a tender/lifeboat on a watercraft ship.

He turned to Aroda, listening to her words and grinning. "You can? That's amazing! We could uncover one or two mysteries about this place then." Hanno said, turning to face the beastfolk, resting a hand on their shoulder with a determined look in his eyes. "Because we will find the key, the boat, and hopefully your sister as well, Felix."

The news of bandits wasn't really the most warming though, but it was also expected.

As soon as Aroda moved closer to a hole, Hanno followed along, squinting his eye through it. Soon it wouldn't be hard to see a group of four bandits, one large and bulkier orc man, a squalid but well equipped with magitech guy, a faerin girl with a long glaive on her back, and a cloaked tall person.

"We will have a lot of company very soon, huh?" Hanno frowned, shifting to glance at Aroda. "Or maybe we should give these guys a lesson. We need to get clues of where to find the key and grab it back." He said,

Felix initially looked at Aroda with a puzzled expression. "What..? Reverse engineering it... but how-" They paused, finally noticing the woman's metallic limbs. Their eyes grew wide, but before they could open their mouth, the sudden realization and reveals of the other two made Felix tremble in fear as they approached to peek through the hole as well..

"D-Damn it. We need to get out of here then-" They said, agreeing with Aroda, yet soon flinching at Hanno's suggestion. "Are you nuts?! We are just three, they are four! At first it was just that little girl and that stupid guy. But now they have these two big dudes, no way we can win this." They hissed, and gritted their teeth.

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

Aroda winces, sucking in a sharp breath as she sees confirmation of approaching dudes. Especially since they look kinda threatening. She starts looking through her inventory as the other two react to the situation in their own ways...

"Well, they are already almost here...I was thinking we get outta here so we don't get caught with our pants down, but we see 'em coming...and I mean, if we're gonna help with all this stolen stuff, we'll have to take 'em on eventually, right?"

She continues to search through her inventory, scratching at her chin, seeming to consider options. She pulls out a few thick discs, pretty suspicious in shape, especially thanks to the elevated discs in the middle, probably not hard to guess their function for anyone with an even passing familiarity in modern military tactics. Those, however, are set aside while she keeps searching.

"It's true that it's just me and Hanno here, and...well, I dunno if you can fight or anything Felix, but...I'm thinking, it might not be too bad. We should be able to surprise 'em...and..."

Finally, she pulls out a strange contraption. It was bulky, but much wider than it was tall, had many wires coming out one side...and on the other side, which was displayed more prominently, it had written in white paint, FRONT TOWARD ENEMY.

"Well, I have a few equalizers. I think we can maybe do this! So, Felix, wanna play bait? They are here for you, right?"

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno could understand the initial hesitation, but he also understood they didn't have much time to fidget and consider options. Not when clock was ticking, and as Aroda well placed, they would have to face these enemies at some point, in a way or another.

"Aro is right. We are honestly at more advantage than you think." Hanno smirked, looking at the many contraptions and weapons Aroda was pulling out of her arsenal. "We will catch them by surprise, and it isn't really a three versus four situation. It is a four versus four." He nudged his shield just like before.

The shield rumbled, but this time sounds of ripping flesh followed along with it. Then, four pairs of tentacles appeared from its sides, and one huge dissonant central eye opened widely.

Felix looked at the duo as if they were crazy. There was a hint of curiosity when they noticed the contraptions the Magia woman was pulling out, but that wasn't enough for them to give in so easily.

"O-Of course I know how to fight. I wouldn't be here by myself otherwise- I just happen to be better at fighting on one on one." They said, feeling a bit underestimated. The bravado was quickly weakened though, at the sight of the aberration that suddenly grew on the shield.

"What... What the fuck. Oh my god what is this?" They took a step back, widening their eyes open and shifting a glance to the hole, noticing the bandits getting even closer and biting their lower lips before looking at Aroda. "A-Alright, what I have to do?" They finally gave in.

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

Aroda takes another quick look around their room, confirming that the way she and Hanno had come in was the only way inside...the walls were a bit crumbly here, but still, anyone would use the door, right?

She rushed over to the door that was still wide open, but not visible from the direction those ruffians were approaching, and hurriedly placed down one of those discs right outside. She covered it up a bit with what debris she could, rendering it mostly not visible. She hoped a careless bandit just wouldn't take note of the slightly suspicious pieces of debris...or at least, not deduce that the device hidden there was a trap.

Of course, she wastes no time getting back inside and pushing the door shut. That lovely 'FRONT TOWARD ENEMY' box is plopped down in a corner, where it could cover the main entrance while not being visible from the doorway unless they checked their corners well. Finally...

"Alright, well I dunno how you fight Felix, but will you be able to pretend you're still tied up? Like, you knocked over your barrel, and crawled somewhere they can see you from the doorway...but y'know, in a position where they can't see your hands? So they don't know you got out of your binds, and they won't suspect there's any danger..."

Aroda starts explaining very quickly, almost as if her words were sped up slightly. Must really be working that processor.

"We just need 'em to take a few steps in, and then, zap! Oh, but me and Hanno gotta hide,"

And as she says this, she starts moving an overturned table, turning it such that it provides cover from the doorway - the ideal hiding place to pop out from and start blasting! She crouches down behind it right away, then looks back to the Cat.

"So...either play bait, or take cover, but I'm gonna try to get a few either way."

The magia finishes with a smile, waving a small device in one hand - a palm-sized trigger that seems it would close if she squeezed it in her grip. A classic firing device.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno watched the 'disc' being placed near the entrance, whistling and grimacing at what would possibly happen as soon as they got a bit too close. He rubbed his chin, not having a lot to prepare aside from tossing the barrel aside so Felix could follow the idea Aroda was offering. "Yeah! They may get way too focused on the fact you are trying to escape to notice our little traps." He grinned.

"You are dangerous, buddy," Hanno said, chuckling at Aroda and getting ready for the ambush himself, getting near a corner and bracing himself for what would be coming.

"If shit happens, I will cover us, and we get rid of whoever that remains..." He said, staring intently at the entrance.

Felix looked at Aroda, pursing their lips. "I usually fight with my gadgets, but seeing they stole most of my magitech, I will have to improvise." They said, rubbing their neck and looking at a nearby wrench and taking it, looking at Aroda and Hanno before taking a deep breath. "I... I will trust you." They nodded firmly.

Holding their wrench, Felix approached the barrel, laying on their side and placing their hands before their back, holding the wrench and staring at the door, waiting intently while gripping the tool tightly.

As the trio prepared, sounds of footsteps began approaching.

The first figure to appear was the large, bulky orc, grumbling something while the other bandits spoke with him from behind. As soon as the orc noticed Felix on the ground, he roared something in orc before warning the other bandits about it, who promptly hurried the orc to move in.

@Aroda (Feel free to move the NPCs and enemies around btw!)

 

[Aroda]

Once Aroda was in position, gripping a firing device in one hand, and the grip of a magitech minigun in the other, she was waiting anxiously with bated breath for the approach of the banditos. Her fingers tapped lightly against the trigger in her hand, her robo-grip flexing in anticipation of letting it rip...

Hearing the bandits just outside, she visibly perked up - her tension rising as she focused her ears as much as she could, waiting for her sign that it was time without being able to see their entrance...

And as the orc entered, leading the pack, Aroda's eyes widened a bit. It was just what she was waiting for - and she could tell from those heavy footfalls against the floor that it was the orc. Perfect...the biggest target! Aroda squeezes the trigger with force, the motion made incredibly easy by her mechanical hands, and there's a loud, noticeable click. Within a fraction of a second, the devices activate.

The magia's lovely art project, which she had constructed similarly to a claymore mine, blasted its front cover off and sent dozens of projectiles hurtling directly at the space in front of the entranceway. The projectiles, large probes designed to puncture or at least stick to enemies, also trailed thick cords - and most of them struck the orc squarely center mass, with some stray ones lodging onto his limbs, and one errant pair of probes finding his face. Of course, these probes weren't lethal themselves, as they didn't penetrate very far into whatever they struck. But they, and the cables they trailed, were excellent at conducting electricity! Like a claymore taser...if tasers were channeling magical lightning bolts.

All at once, as soon as they make contact, bright streaks of electricity run down the cables and straight into the unfortunate orc, creating quite the light show. Of course, before any of the ones outside have time to enjoy it, the welcome mat Aroda had laid out activates as well, sending out a concentrated blast of electricity over about a ten foot radius, catching the poor souls that followed behind the orc, and even the ones who trailed a bit further away.

As soon as she heard the blasts, Aroda dropped the firing device and rose up behind her cover, grabbing up her gun and getting the barrels spinning...

"TSPD, get down on the ground!"

She yells with as much force as she can, just as she's actually taking in the scene. Surprisingly, the orc hasn't gone down by the time she popped out, still standing stock still as he gets pretty much electrocuted. Two of the ones outside were on the ground, sparks crawling over them as they twitched, and the last one - the one who had some magitech of his own - was still up, supporting himself against one of the partially destroyed walls littering this place.

But with the big orc guy still standing paralyzed in the doorway, she couldn't exactly get a shot on him...

"Aw, dammit...!"

She dives back behind cover to start fiddling with the trigger again, which after a few moments, does have a visible effect - the electric current flowing into the orc overloads, causing a crackling burst that blasts him to the side before the electricity stops completely. Though with how tough the guy looked, Aroda wasn't really sure if that'd put him down for the count...

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

When the devices activated and the Orc was struck with a thunderous electricity, Hanno widened his eyes and whistled. "Whew- Glad to be on your side, not against you-" He joked, slipping out from his hidings and noticing that the paralyzed Orc was blocking the path.

"I will open the way for you, buddy!" Hanno warned, charging toward the Orc, that could only helplessly stare at Hanno, who was charging at him with a trampling speed and a huge shield facing forward, tackling and bashing the big green bandit out of the way.

"Grrah!" The Orc groaned as he fell. Needless to say, Hanno tripped a bit himself, rolling out of the building they were in and ending up surrounded by the enemies.

Immediately as he fell, the sharp tip of a glaive nearly slashed on his face, but Hanno was quick to roll away, looking up to see the faerin woman looking down at him, "Hyaaaah-!" following with an immediate thrust that was blocked by Hanno's gauntlets, who didn't have the upper hand yet.

Meanwhile, the magitech bandit took a step back, startled by the sudden turn of events, and turned to face Aroda and Felix, smirking devilishly before pulling three spheres out and tossing them toward them. "Ya aren't goin' anywhere, fella!" He said, widening his eyes in a vicious madness.

As soon as the spheres touched the ground, they began bleeping rapidly, foreshadowing an incoming explosion.

The cloaked one, however, didn't move an inch. Instead, they simply watched from the back.

Quickly standing from their position, Felix held their wrench in a combat stance, pushing it forward to use to parry the attacks while gritting their teeth when the spheres came into the room.

"Shit-!" They cursed, rushing toward Aroda and swinging their wrench to create a blue-ish arcanamantic barrier.

@Aroda

To give some faces for these guys: the orc, the magitech guy, the faerin, cloaked dude

 

[Aroda]

Aroda popped back up from behind her bit of cover to see what all the noise was. A chaotic fight, and some scuffling up there...the guy with magitech throwing some kind of bombs? Those seem cool, she wondered if she could try to make some tech-lookin' grenades at some point...

Ah, but these were actively threatening her, huh. As the cat boy ran forward to create a barrier, Aroda reached out to grab and pull him back behind the overturned table as well, for extra safety.

"Get down, dude!"

The bleeping spheres, threatening as they were, definitely made a big impact as they went boom...but fortunately, it was enough that they only felt a bit of the shockwave, after it broke down the barrier and strained against their cover. Probably helped that Aroda used a little of her own arcanamancy to ensure this table didn't give out.

And now, Aroda was keen on ending this as quick as possible, before they could pull any more funny tricks like that. She'd hoped it wouldn't even turn into a fight in the first place, really, but her hastily laid traps weren't enough to put a stop to these guys...so now it was time to go bigger!

A new magitech firearm appeared in her hands, and she rose back to her full height to brandish it. Her makeshift cover was in her way now, so she gave the table a good kick to move it - but being weakened from the previous blast, it merely split down the middle, both halves getting launched aside. The result worked for Aroda, who now brought to bear a massive mechanical monstrosity, wider than her and several heads longer as well. By all means, it looked too heavy for Aroda to be wielding so easily, but she swings it around effortlessly...

"You too Hanno!"

...and starts firing.

The gun lets out a loud, bona fide BRRRRRRRT, mixed with the crackle of lightning, as constant stream of electrically charged ammunition comes screaming forth. The shots focus first on the one that's engaging her tank, hoping to taze the absolute hell out of her. Of course...she sends plenty of ordnance down range, so the guy using magitech, and even the hooded one, weren't safe from the oncoming hail of gunfire.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

The sharp edge of the Faerin bandit nearly slashed Hanno's head, thankfully hitting the side of his helmet while it slipped away. Hanno pushed the glaive away with a hand, going for a straight punch on the bandit's side, making her groan in pain and having her cloak slip for a moment, revealing a partially crystalized arm.

Hanno frowned at the sight, glaring up at her. "I don't want to hurt you, buddy, but you leave me no choice-!" He warned, receiving nothing but a defiant look from the other Faerin before she tried to thrust him again. "Shush!"

This time, the blade slashed his ear, dripping some blood as he grabbed the polearm and tried to disarm her-

However, the bleep from behind, followed by an explosion startled Hanno, nearly giving him a disadvantageous position when the faerin took the opportunity to smash a kick on his knee. He gritted his teeth, kneeling slightly before the warning from his comrade caught his attention.

"Woah, will do-!" He widened his eyes at the giant gun, looking up at the bandit and tugging her as hard as he could downwards, using his feet to fling her above his body in an improvised tomoe nage.

Right after Hanno was done with the throw, trying to immobilize the faerin, a shower of magitech bullets covered the room, making the magitech bandit duck for a cover, but catching one of his gadgets and causing a minor explosion that sent him flying to a wall, while the orc was met with the barrage of bullets as soon as he tried to recover from his fall.

Hanno continued to struggle, with him and the other faerin only having the polearm as obstacle between each other as they wrestled, with the bandit trying to push Hanno upward, to try and get him hit by the reckless bullets that snapped everywhere indiscriminately, only failing to hit the cloaked figure, that simply dispersed the bullets midair that was aimed at them.

Tugged behind the table, the catfolk gulped, looking at the chaos unfolding in front of them with wide open eyes, turning to peek at Aroda back and forth.

"I think two of them are down..." They considered, scowling when looking at the faerins fighting, but the cloaked figure remained on the back. "... I don't like that guy, they are bad news." Felix tapped his wrench on a stone, making it glow before staring at the cloaked enemy and throwing it toward them-

Unlike the bullets, the stone connected to the figure's body, making it stumble backward for a brief couple inches before firming its stance once again.

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

The hail of gunfire continued, Aroda now trying to focus the spray on the cloaked figure but...apparently not able to hit him. She clicked her tongue and looked to the catboy,

"Alright, Felix, I can't hit him, so you keep trying to do something about Mr. Cloak!"

And called such to him over the sound of her still-blasting gun. If anything, the fire was definitely suppressive, which would do a lot to help...as long as she didn't hit Hanno. Looking to her allied Faerin, seeing him still wrestling with the opposing Faerin, and not really making that much progress. Or at least, not as much progress as she would like.

Letting her big fuck off gun continue firing by keeping its firing mode held down in her primary hand, she materializes a new device from her inventory in her spare hand. Unsurprisingly, it's a gun. A sidearm this time, a simple pistol, slightly less primitive in design than a flintlock, and glowing with electricity. Thankfully, with her robot hands, it didn't seem like she actually had one that was dominant or non-dominant, meaning her aim was just as accurate in her 'off hand' as with what was usually her main hand. So she takes aim,

"And you, take the hint already!"

And starts to blast a few, more carefully placed, shocking shots at the one that was giving Hanno so much trouble.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno wrestled while barely dodging the bullets that were repelled by the cloaked enemy, making him scowl as he tried to roll and switch places back and forth with the other faerin, that was putting up a fierce fight.

One last exchange of blows occurred between them, with the faerin girl throwing a knee on Hanno's side, being retaliated with a punch on her face that was returned with a growl. "You are god- damn stubborn and tough, I give you that!" Hanno roared, throwing another punch before receiving an elbow going straight to his chin.

"Fuck you-" The faerin tried to take the advantage, with a running bloody nose making her breathing erratic. However, before she could muster any other attack, a bullet flew directly at her. The hit shattered part of her crystalized arm, knocking her away from Hanno and throwing her to the ground with the impact, causing her to faint.

"Shit-" Hanno gritted his teeth, looking at the faerin fallen on a side and the magitech guy all burned on another, both of them being critically wounded. "Things don't need to be like this. Surrender before it is too late!" Hanno growled.

The response was with no words, but with hostility.

A brim of a devious smile appeared under the dark hood, and with the clench or fists, a powerful pull could be felt by Hanno, who felt his armor being attracted intensely.

Meanwhile, the metallic tools and weapons began piling up in front of the cloaked figure, that controlled the scraps with expertise.

Felix eyes grew wide when the wrench was snatched out of their hands, flying straight to the pile the cloaked figure was gathering.

With a brief struggle, they managed to hold their ground.

"What a strong magnetism-" They gritted their teeth, trying to reach for a stone. "Have any othe trick?" They asked, throwing another glowing stone, but this time, it was blocked by the flying scraps.

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

Aroda watched all this going on - and indeed, felt a bit of pull from the magnetic nonsense going on. Of course, it was because of the metal parts she was holding, since the magia herself wasn't actually magnetic.

Unless she wanted to be. It was a pretty weird ability, but it did come in handy often, letting her keep a better grip on her metal tools, or retrieve small metal parts she'd dropped.

The force of magnetism she could apply to herself was actually quite strong, too. Strong enough that if she maxed it out, it was hard to resist being pulled into other things, if they were large enough, and it was easily enough to lift her off the ground. She figured she could even walk on a metal ceiling like spiderguy, if she was selective in her magnetism.

All of that, though, was for another time. Right now, she had a much different idea. This weirdo in the robe was drawing in everything in the area, and it seemed both Aroda and her companions were having trouble fighting against the pull. She glanced at the cat boy, a serious look on her face...which quickly cut to an excited grin.

"Well...I think I've got something...?"

That sure was a big magnetic pull, if it was enough to yank on Aroda's massive gun and make it hard to hold on to. If she let it go, it'd fly at the guy with a whole lot of force. Like a big, overly engineered battering ram.

But...that wasn't super exciting. And she'd be disarming herself, so if it didn't work she'd be in trouble.

But...who says she has to let it go? She could be magnetic, too. And if she made herself magnetic enough...wouldn't she fly at the guy even faster? It would be dangerous for her to fly straight at him, unexposed...but it's a good thing, that she's got a massive gun to use as a shield, if she did do that.

"Alright...heads up, Hanno!"

Her plan, which even she thought of as pretty dumb, but very entertaining, sets in motion. She raises the gun in both hands, like it was a tower shield, and starts to advance toward their foe...still moving slowly, resisting the pull, for a few steps...then breaks into a running start. From there, she lets physics do the work - or so she hopes. Jumping off the ground and tucking her legs in as she heavily magnetizes her body, she sticks firmly to her giant gun-shield...as it goes flying out to meet Mr. Magnet.

Aroda, and her gun, shoot straight at the guy with speed even Aroda wasn't quite expecting. She hoped to bowl him over, but she figures with as momentum as this massive gun had, it might be more like she was about to hit him like a runaway truck. Well...this dude better hope he's tougher than the average isekai protagonist.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno felt the pull dragging him for a moment before he countered with a protective aura. He remained firm on where he stood, but at the cost of plenty energy.

"Stop it, goddamn it! Why are you guys so stubborn?!" Hanno yelled, ready to charge in before Aroda's words interrupted him. "Huh-?!" His eyes grew wide, seeing the woman charging in and suddenly sending herself toward he cloaked one like a battering ram with several tons of fuck you power.

The cloaked figure couldn' even react, deactivating the magnetism but being too late for it. The Magia was already trampling and slamming against him, knocking the figure away rolling and smashing against the ground.

Such a reckless move was unexpected by the faerin, that had his heart freezing immediately.

"Oh God, buddy, are you alright?" He rushed toward Aroda and the fallen figure, to aid her if necessary. The battlefield was now quiet, with the combat becoming a mere fade in the background.

The cat beastfolk watched the magia woman fly toward the enemy startled, grimacing upon the impact.

With the magnetism gone, Felix could manage to rush to grab his tools, shifting to glance the faerin and the magia from afar before glaring at the magitech guy and the faerin girl.

He approached, with his eyes flaring with anger.

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

Aroda's rapid delivery of a physics lesson to the magnetic mysterio's entire body was executed just as planned - it was unfortunate that her plan didn't include what would happen after the lesson. Once she'd knocked the figure away, her own trajectory deviated slightly, and the giant gun made contact with the ground...of course, causing it to start tumbling around. The magia figures now's the time to bail, and lets go of it, sadly at just the right time to get flung into the air.

But this, too, was no problem for Aroda! Probably. She does cry out a bit as her equilibrium is scattered to the winds, but thankfully she has a good degree of control over those winds thanks to Aeromancy. She's able to slow her trajectory and land mostly safely, floating down to land on her robo-rear, and holding a hand up to her head to try and dispel some dizziness. She pauses shaking her head around to stare at Hanno while he approaches.

"'Alright'? Heh...I'm way more than alright, dude. I'm awesome! Did you see that? Haha!"

Then, after a quick realization, she points out toward the fallen foes, starting with the cloaky one.

"Ah, but, quick! Go make the arrests! Tie 'em up, or...something! If they're still alive. We got questions for 'em, right?""

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Seeing the @Aroda was fine, Hanno slipped a relieved sigh and laughed along with her, offering a hand to get her back to her feet as he cheered her on. "That was hella awesome, girl! You are crazy!" Hanno beamed, helping her up and then looking at the fallen when Aroda was quick to mention them.

"Oh, right." Hanno glanced to the othet faerin and the artificer, gesturing to the cat. "Hey buddy! Tie 'em up! I will take care of the big guys here." He warned, quickly taking his shield and tossing it near the cloaked guy.

"Ghast, you take care of him. He looks dangerous as hell." Hanno said, and the shield began growing her tentacles around the cloaked man, tightening him in a tight embrace to pin him down.

Meanwhile, Hanno rushed to the orc, making sure to grab a long metal and twist it around him using a brute strength to make sure it would get the orc properly locked down.

Felix, still somewhat annoyed, began working on tying the other two, being nowhere gentle or kind about it, simply huffing in annoyance. "We should get rid of them..." He growled.

"Lucky for them they have questions to answer..."

 

[Aroda]

Aroda gets up after a few moments, looking over her big ol' gun to make sure it's still in good condition after that impact. Thankfully it was built to last, so she nods confidently and the thing warps back into the confines of her inventory once more. She moves back closer to the group as they gathered up and around the defeated bandits, and makes her way specifically to the guy with all the magitech...so she can start looking through all the things he's carrying, picking out and grabbing whatever seems interesting.

"Man...I know we gotta interrogate these guys or whatever, but I'm hoping we spooked 'em enough that they won't be too difficult about it. Otherwise..."

She pauses her definitely-not-looting with a sigh, glancing at all the knocked out mooks.

"I mean, I know they're bandits, and there isn't really a geneva conventions here, but I'd still rather not have to get too...y'know."

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno frowned at Felix's words, turning to look at him and approaching to hold his shoulder before he decided to do anything stupid. "That isn't how things work. That won't do you any good, to just go around killing people off when they are surrendered." Hanno said, letting out a sigh and casting a glance at Aroda, who was already doing a work of looting while offering her insight regarding the situation.

"I agree. I honestly don't plan to raise a finger against them right now. They are already defeated." Hanno admitted, crossing his arms to look at the fallen bandits with a mix of annoyance but also pity, and side-glancing at Felix.

"I suppose they do have something that Felix needs though..."

The cat beastfolk faced Hanno for a moment, then looked at Aroda and averted his face, noticing he was the only one wishing to seek something else aside from answers from the bandits.

"Well, if we need answers, may as well get them as quickly as possible." Felix said, crouching near the two bandits, waiting for Aroda to finish her looting before touching his wrench on the sides of the bandits before zapping them with magitech energy, making them jumpy and gasp in surprise and pain.

 

[Aroda]

Aroda completes her super serious duty of making sure the magitech guy is totally disarmed, by stealing all of the stuff she can find that looks interesting straight off him. It was super important to make sure he didn't have any way of surprising them with some crazy tech, so there just wasn't anything else to be done. She had to take all of his neat magitech stuff. It was her responsibility.

Of course, once she's grabbed everything she thinks is actually important, she steps back a bit to look at the ongoing dialog.

"Ah man, I dunno if I wanna have to kill them in the end, either. Is there a jail we can throw them in after we're done, or something?"

She pauses a bit in thought, and of course, then the catboy starts to try and zap them awake, so she changes her tune slightly, watching the banditos with a careful gaze.

"Then again, I suppose whether or not they live kind of depends on what they tell us regarding Felix's stolen goods, huh?"

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

"You are talking to a knight of Lion's Pride, buddy." Hanno winked. "I can find a nice place for these guys." He said, halting his words when the bandits woke up.

Aroda's threatening words made the two tied bandits flinch, with the magitech guy already struggling and trying to back away from the two, while the faerin pursed her lips and glanced at him.

Hanno side glanced at Aroda.

Bad cop, good cop, huh? Maybe that could work.

Looking at the faerin, he gestured to her crystalized arm. "Ran away from Zalra, huh? I suppose the crystal nomads wanted to end your suffering." He poked.

The faerin glared at Hanno, insulted. "I didn't run away!" She retorted, squirming her tied hands as if she wanted to hit him.

"But you weren't fond of the idea. So here you are, right? Being a bandit..." Hanno gestured at the magitech guy. "Is your friend like that too? Maybe we can find a way."

The faerin held her breath, averting her eyes. "I... There is no way-"

Annoyed, the cat boy roared. "I don't want a sob story! I want an answer!" He interrupted, nearly leaping on the faerin girl if it wasn't for Hanno being an obstacle, and lashing out on the magitech guy instead.

"Where is the key?" The boy gritted his teeth, holding the man tight by the collar and shaking him with teary, angry eyes. "I can't find my sister without it, I know you fucking have it, you stole it from me! You stole my only chance!" He screamed.

Despite being so scared he could wet his pants the magitech guy was stubborn. "I-I w-wo-won't tell y-ya sh-shit, f-fe-fella--"

"The tall blondie have it..." The faerin said, looking up at @Aroda, with a pensive expression. "... The magia component you grabbed." She looked at the loot nearly overflowing. "It is an illusion. Its true shape is the key."